Crisis calls for urgent food supplies as recession causes donor cut-backs | Industry News | TalkingRetail.com

Crisis, the charity for single homeless people, is urgently seeking the donation of food supplies for Crisis At Christmas 2010 as regular donors cut back.

Nine centres across London will serve 28,000 meals to homeless and vulnerably housed people this Christmas time. However without sufficient food supplies this cannot go ahead.

Over 2,500 homeless and vulnerably housed guests will come through Crisis’ doors between 23 December and 30 December 2010. Providing vital meals to guests is a huge challenge and Crisis relies on the generous donations of 250-350 suppliers to give the 1,300 different items required. However as the effects of the recession take their toll, many businesses have been unable to pledge their regular donation this year, leaving Crisis struggling to make ends meet.

Economic down-turn has left many small to medium-sized companies struggling to survive and donating sizeable quantities of product at this time is impossible. Equally as larger companies tighten their belts the surplus stocks, which once comprised many donations, have dried up as production capacity is trimmed, stocks are reduced and focus is placed on producing to order.

A vast range of products are needed to fill the charity’s quota, from tinned and packet goods, to perishable items including cheese, fish and meat. Crisis can use a wide range of products and is therefore urgently calling for any business or supplier who may be able to make a donation this Christmas to come forward.

Leslie Morphy, chief executive of Crisis, said:“The current recession has placed greater than ever demands on the corporations who generously provide the products we need to run Crisis At Christmas.

“There has been a significant downturn in both the number of donors and the level of donations as the economic climate has forced businesses to cut back. With less than one month to Christmas, we are now urgently seeking additional donors to ensure we can provide vital meals to the 2,500 guests who need it most at Christmas.”

Source: Crisis

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